Newest Pirate Guillermo Heredia was always drawn to team

Though he’s spent his entire four-year MLB career in the American League since defecting from Cuba, Guillermo Heredia said he’d always taken notice of and admired the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Speaking through an interpreter Saturday from PNC Park during PiratesFest, Heredia said that played a part in the outfielder’s decision to sign with the team earlier this month.

“Primarily one of the deal-breakers in making the decision for me was that for the past few years, maybe even more, I have seen the cohesiveness, the unity, the celebrations, the joy and just the good energy that you would see through television in the dugout and the clubhouse,” Heredia said, as translated by the Pirates’ Mike Gonzalez.

“And that’s (aligned with my) character, that’s my personality, that’s what I always bring to an organization. And I was always attracted to that, even when I was playing for other teams, I was like, ‘Man I love that, I love that about the Pirates.’ And when I was between some of other teams I really wanted to come into an atmosphere that connected with mine and an energy that connected with mine and a place where I feel like, ‘Hey, that’s where I belong.’ ”

The #Pirates started shoring up their outfield depth — and perhaps preparing for a trade of center fielder Starling Marte — when they signed light-hitting Guillermo Heredia to a one-year contract.https://t.co/d40rvTIRu6

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) January 10, 2020

Heredia was signed Jan. 9 and, at the moment, is pegged to be the Pirates’ fourth outfielder in 2020. He said Saturday he can play all three outfield spots is looking forward to fielding in the unique dimensions of the PNC Park outfield.

If the Pirates trade Starling Marte, something they are widely believed to be considering, Heredia could end up the Opening Day center fielder.

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